Exploring Hollywood, Los Angeles and the Valley with a nostalgic look to the past, while still enjoying the present.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Nickelodeon (1976) - Film Locations

Peter Bogdanovich, Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds on set

One of my favorite Peter Bogdanovich films is Nickelodeon (1976), the director's ode to the silent film days. Bogdanovich, who really got his break into the film business as a journalist in the 1960s interviewing Hollywood legends, got the idea for Nickelodeon while interviewing early silent filmmakers like Allan Dwan and Raoul Walsh. Dwan and Walsh had some pretty crazy stories about making movies during that time period, particularly about the studios trying to force out the smaller filmmakers, and Bogdanovich brings those stories to life in his film.

Bogdanovich shot some of Nickelodeon on location but there were some scenes that were filmed on the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California. Here are some of those backlot locations.

Ryan O'Neal leaves the courthouse.

The film begins with O'Neal in court. The exterior of the courthouse was actually the city hall building on the New York Street of Warner Bros. backlot.

City Hall building, WB backlot.

Some of the other scenes were filmed on the Warner Bros. Midwest Street, the same street that was used for The Music Man, East of Eden, and most recently the hit show Pretty Little Liars.

Starr Hotel in Nickelodeon

Starr Hotel building on Midwest Street, WB Backlot

Starr Hotel building in background.

Another view of Midwest Street, Warner Bros. backlot.

Burt Reynolds on Warner Bros. Midwest Street

Midwest Street, Warner Bros. Backlot

This next location I'm not entirely sure about, but I'm pretty confident that the scene at the end of Nickelodeon where the D.W. Griffith film premiere is taking place, was shot on the Warner Bros. New York Street. Below is a facade that is used over and over again as a theater. I'm sure the set designers just dressed up the facade for the film.